Project Boussh: Distractions
by Durandir

In the tiny chamber that had formerly served as guard station for 
Eugor Atner's dungeons, Thayer and Sci were hard at work discovering 
ways to make their already excruciating headaches even worse.

"So," Sci groaned, "I think we can finally set this case aside."

"Yes, if only she'll be content now...we can hardly hope to offer 
more." Thayer sighed and pushed away a much-abused assortment of 
paperwork. "Now, then, what were you saying about this Russell Crowe 
fellow?"

"Ah, well, he's all ready to go home, willing to accept our apologies 
and condolences and all that," Sci muttered, "but there's this 
complication with Prophet Kristy--"

Footsteps sounded in the entry, and the hardworking leaders of 
Mendellia and Terra Group looked up, eager for any distraction. 
Thayer's face brightened to see who it was, and he stood to greet her.

"Hi, Thayer," said Becki with a shy smile as she came in; then, to 
Sci, "Hey, Chief." Sci grinned and raised an eyebrow at her title for 
him. "Mike's not down here with you anymore?" she continued.

"No, he left some time ago," said Thayer. "But it is a delight to see 
you--"

"From the looks of that desk," she broke in, glancing in that 
direction partly to hide the blush that suddenly played over her 
cheeks, "you'd be delighted to see just about anyone. Provided they 
hadn't brought you more paperwork. Slow going with the prisoners?"

"As always," Thayer sighed. "Want to help?"

"Well, maybe..." she said, pulling up a chair across the desk from 
the two of them and straightening up the pile of papers nearest her. 
She glanced over the top sheet, then looked up in surprise. "Eugor 
kidnapped *Russell Crowe*?"

"Apparently so," Sci nodded. "He's almost ready to go, except for 
some problems that have arisen..."

"Um, does Prophet Kristy know he's here?"

"That's where the problems have arisen..."

She smiled and shook her head. "Of course. I think...I'll just leave 
this to you two, then. Hey, have you seen Rekla down here lately? Or 
Emily?"

"Emily burst through here a few minutes ago looking for Mike," Thayer 
grinned. "Rekla bounded in a few minutes later to announce that he's 
come back to life again, then bounded out again. I have no idea where 
he was headed."

"Gonna have to put bells on that boy," Becki mused. "How did he wind 
up in the Resistance, anyway, Thayer? He seems awfully young."

"Fourteen. He's always seemed younger than his age, at least as long 
as we've known him. Fir was the one who found him, actually...There's 
a bit of a story to that. But in short, Fir was on a mission in 
French Guiana a couple of years ago, and this boy just practically 
attached himself to him. Rekla's an orphan--he must have been very 
young when his parents died, because he remembers very little of 
them. He belongs to one of the native peoples in Guiana--Arawaks or 
Wayapis or Wayanas, I can never remember which. But something had 
happened to make him run away from his village to Cayenne, the 
capital, and when Fir found him, he was just barely staying alive 
there, fending for himself. Fir rescued him from some sort of 
trouble; Rekla's considered himself indebted to Fir ever since. When 
the boy wouldn't stop following him, Fir finally gave in and brought 
him home to the caverns, and he's been one of us ever since. He's a 
good boy."

"Yes," said Becki, eyes narrowed and lips pressed tight in thought. 
After a moment, she looked up, seeming to suddenly remember where she 
was. "Mm. Well. I think--perhaps I'd better go see if I can find him. 
And, um--if you happen to see Mike," she grinned, "I recommend 
staying near him. At least until Emily shows up. And then things 
should get interesting." 

Then she took her leave of them and left as quickly as she had come. 
Thayer sat in silence a few moments, staring after her. After a bit, 
Sci glanced up to see a strange half-smile and faraway look on his 
companion's face. Smiling knowingly to himself, Sci shook his head 
and returned to the paperwork.